The turn of the millennia coincided with sweeping changes for Habanos S.A. A new partnership with global tobacco giants Atladis, and the launch of a daring new premium line of Habanos, reinvigorating the status of Cuban cigars after a series of lacklustre crops in the late 90’s. What we recognise today as the start of the “Edicion Limitadas” line, was an opportunity to regain international confidence of Cubans as the pinnacle of the premium cigar market. Big brands (R&J, Montecristo, Cohiba, Hoyo, Partagas) were to produce unusual vitolas in limited quantities on an annual basis, featuring darker wrapper leaves aged for an additional 2 years. The Limited editions proved to be such a success that Habanos had run out of suitable tobacco to produce a 2002 run of the sought-after new series. With new confidence from the success of these experiments, many of these early LEs were the precursor to mainstay regular production releases. For instance, Romeo & Julieta’s inaugural Robusto (a 2001 Limited edition) was followed by the 2006 release of the Short Churchill.
How the profile of these annual special releases compares to the taste of their regular production counterparts has been a contentious issue, especially when it comes to the ultra-wide profile range of Romeo & Julieta. What hasn’t been as controversial is that Limited Editions are fuller bodied, featuring a higher proportion of Ligero leaf, endowing the cigar with a much higher aging potential than regular productions. Allowing stronger cigars 10-15 years to age has been standard practice for the more restrained aficionados amongst us. Leaving a longer period of time for continuous fermentation to break down the tannic phenol molecules, reveals more complex flavours, the green harshness replaced by a mellow elegance we’ve learnt to associate with the finer aged cigars. The slippery science of cigar aging is of course a lot more complicated when we consider the distinct stages of the cigar life cycle; from the sick period to third maturation as documented by Min Ron Nee.
Today I’m tasked with reviewing the Romeo & Julieta Hermoso No.2 (LE 2004), the cigar barely falling short of legal age would find itself well into Nee’s “Second Maturation” phase. In this stage it is said that the tannin breaks down to its simplest molecules, leaving a characteristic woody sweetness that tempers the flavours into a smoothness that props up the full range of subtle organoleptic properties hidden in the tobacco. With expectations high from the Hermoso No.1 (LE 2003) I had the privilege of trying a few years ago, I’m excited to discover how this No.2 (LE 2004) stacks up. The Hermoso No.2 was admittedly overshadowed in the year of it’s release from it’s competing 2004 Limited Editions, including the Cohiba Sublimes, Partagas Serie D No.1, and the legendary inaugural Hoyo Epicure Especial. The No.2’s 48 X 157mm Grand Corona size, differs from the Hermoso No.1 only by 10mm as the shorter of the two. The moderate girth and longer length offer a nice compromise between heavy gauge purists and those partial to the classic thinner gauge vitolas.
Procuring the cigar from the box where it’s been housed for the past 17 years, a very subtle woody aroma is perceptible from the cigar. A nice construction is indicated from the even contraction of the tobacco over the years, the Grand Corona maintaining an even cylindrical shape, allowing the 2 bands to be potentially pulled off head to foot (something I would never do or leave to chance). The cold draw confirms the age, the dried texture of the cigar reveals a woody sweetness, and an overall pleasant creamy texture from the Colarado Maduro shaded cigar.
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FIRST THIRD
Upon the first draw, light cedar, hints of cumin and pepper are accompanied with a mellow leathery base. I’m struck with was the uncanny taste of heated popcorn kernels, as I extract the air from the cigar, the note underscoring the dusty sweet woody character of this first third. Surprisingly there is a very subtle ammonia smell in the smoke, an interesting component that imparts an unusual tang to the aroma, a tang akin to a burning an incense stick.
SECOND THIRD
Fully concentrated, in the second third I remark the balance start to slowly wane, despite noticing some new elements. Namely the introduction of roasted chestnuts, reinforce nicely the popcorn kernel notes that’s reintroduced into the fold with every single puff. A pleasant bitterness of pecan nut and chalky cocoa powder is still perceptible, despite becoming less present. On the tail end, a very subtle maple syrup sweetness is revealed as an aftertaste of an increasingly heady wood dominant cigar.
LAST THIRD
While the burn and the draw remain fantastic, any initial sweetness up until this point has dissipated, leaving the cigar feeling off-kilter. The woody characteristics have devolved into an undifferentiated morass of earth notes, moss, and heavy mineral notes of lead and graphite. The tannic qualities increase, the bitterness leaving a metallic harshness that the popcorn kernel tang can’t mitigate. The smoke from the cigar remains pleasant suggesting licorice and tree bark, that I wish would be perceptible in the tobacco itself. On this occasion the Hermoso No.2 devolved into sheer strength. For all the good the age has done in rounding off the flavours in the first half, the unadulterated strength of nicotine and tannin came through dramatically in the finale, causing me prematurely put it down, with about 4 cm of the nub left.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Aware of the acclaim the R&J Hermoso No.2 (LE 2004) has received in regard to it’s incredible aging potential, I’m left with the impression that my work with this cigar is incomplete. The surprising strength of the Hermoso No.2 despite being left to age for almost 2 decades, makes it a good candidate for pairing, perhaps with a cognac or even a silky stout. Although this cigar experience did not meet my expectations, I find it provided some useful insight into all the potentialities of long-term aging and the unique nature of Limited Editions generally.
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